DOCSLIB.ORG

November 2002

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
November 2002 Nations and Regions: The Dynamics of Devolution Quarterly Monitoring Programme Northern Ireland Quarterly Report November 2002 The monitoring programme is jointly funded by the ESRC and the Leverhulme Trust Devolution Monitoring Programme Northern Ireland report 13 November 2002 • Devolution suspended for fourth time, indefinitely • New Northern Ireland secretary and additional ministers • Protestant support for Belfast agreement plummets • Governments initiate review with round-table talks • IRA disbandment hurdle to restoration of institutions • Assembly elections may not go ahead in May 1. Summary Robin Wilson .............................................................................................. 1 2. Devolved government Robin Wilson and Rick Wilford.............................................. 2 2.1 Suspension ................................................................................................................ 2 2.2 Direct rule team......................................................................................................... 4 2.3 The executive............................................................................................................ 4 2.4 OFMDFM ................................................................................................................. 5 3. The assembly Rick Wilford ....................................................................................... 7 3.1 Introduction............................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Legislation.................................................................................................................7 3.3 Debates...................................................................................................................... 8 3.4 Committees ............................................................................................................. 12 4. The media Greg McLaughlin.................................................................................. 15 4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................. 15 4.2 ‘Stormontgate’ ........................................................................................................ 15 4.3 Suspension .............................................................................................................. 16 4.4 Revisiting Omagh ................................................................................................... 17 5. Public attitudes and identity Lizanne Dowds............................................................. 19 6. Intergovernmental relations John Coakley ................................................................ 22 6.1 Introduction............................................................................................................. 22 6.2 Work of the NSMC................................................................................................. 22 6.3 Prospects ................................................................................................................. 24 7. Relations with the EU Elizabeth Meehan .................................................................. 27 7.1 Introduction............................................................................................................. 27 7.2 ‘Ourselves alone’? .................................................................................................. 27 7.4 EU funds ................................................................................................................. 28 7.5 Coda ........................................................................................................................ 29 8. Relations with local government Robin Wilson ........................................................ 31 9. Finance Robin Wilson ............................................................................................ 32 9.1 Budget..................................................................................................................... 32 10. Devolution disputes: nil return................................................................................. 34 11. Political parties and elections Duncan Morrow....................................................... 35 11.1 Introduction........................................................................................................... 35 11.2 Growing UUP tensions ......................................................................................... 35 11.3 Disputes on policing ............................................................................................. 37 11.4 Preparing for elections .......................................................................................... 37 11.5 The raid, suspension and after .............................................................................. 37 11.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 41 12. Public policies Robin Wilson................................................................................. 42 12.1 Transport............................................................................................................... 42 12.2 Education .............................................................................................................. 42 1. Summary Robin Wilson If devolution in Northern Ireland has been a roller-coaster ride, this quarter the roller- coaster came off the rails. The suspension of the devolved institutions in October was precipitated by revelations of an IRA spying operation taking in thousands of individuals and going as high as the British and Irish premiers. The suspension pre-empted a threatened walk-out from government by Ulster Unionist ministers. It was the fourth since December 1999 but the prime minister, Tony Blair, suddenly descending on Belfast, made clear that this time only a fundamental reconfiguration—namely the sloughing off by republicans of paramilitary trappings—would allow the stars to be restored to the political firmament. The prospect of assembly elections in May had concentrated everyone’s minds. Selections in the UUP were indicating a drift towards anti-agreement forces and only Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party could anticipate the contest with equanimity. Few believed that a DUP-SF dyarchy in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister could replace that between the UUP and SDLP. More worryingly, opinion evidence during the quarter revealed a haemorrhage of Protestant support for the Belfast agreement, down to one third. Even worse, a majority of Protestants now opposed power-sharing even with the SDLP, never mind SF. The London and Dublin governments would not allow the DUP its ‘renegotiation’ demand. Moving to the review allowed for in the agreement itself when difficulties emerged across the institutions doubtless appeared the least bad alternative. Round-table talks, which the DUP pledged to boycott, were announced at the close of the quarter. The direct-rule team taking over was not only augmented by two additional ministers—a signal that the hiatus might not be short-lived—but also by the replacement of the Northern Ireland secretary, John Reid, by the Welsh secretary, Paul Murphy (perhaps also a signal that Northern Ireland would not remain at the centre of the prime minister’s political universe). Many issues were tipped by the outgoing ministers into their successors’ in-trays. The Programme for Government and budget were only in draft. The executive hyperactivity that had followed earlier criticism of sloth bequeathed many bills at various stages of progress. The SF education minister, Martin McGuinness, issued a parting shot by unilaterally announcing the prospective abolition of the ‘11+’, to the chagrin of his unionist counterparts. 2. Devolved government Robin Wilson and Rick Wilford 2.1 Suspension It was, Yogi Berra would have said, déjà vu all over again. For the fourth time, on October 14th 2002, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the associated political institutions established by the Belfast agreement of 1998, including the key, four-party Executive Committee, were suspended by the government in London. As on every previous occasion, the problem was the lack of trust among even Ulster Unionist Party supporters—the rival Democratic Unionist Party has never attended a meeting of the executive since power was first transferred in December 1999—as to the democratic bona fides of the representatives in government of the republican movement. After the first suspension, in February 2000, what the UUP leader and first minister, David Trimble, interpreted as an IRA pledge to disarm in a year sufficed to restore the executive that May. When, disappointed by the lack of progress, he resigned in July 2001, two one-day suspensions in August and October avoided terminal crisis until November 2001, when a bizarre ‘redesignation’ by the Alliance Party supplied Mr Trimble with the ‘unionist’ numbers he needed to squeeze back into power. With a string of revelations of continued republican paramilitarism, including links with FARC guerrillas in Colombia and apparent involvement in an audacious break-in at Castlereagh intelligence centre, Mr Trimble arguably had little alternative to threaten in September 2002 to resign (in January 2003), to save his political bacon from his
Load more

Recommended publications
  • <Election Title>
    Electoral Office for Northern Ireland Election of Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the LAGAN VALLEY Constituency STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED and NOTICE OF POLL The following persons have been and stand validly nominated: SURNAME OTHER NAMES ADDRESS DESCRIPTION(if any) SUBSCRIBERS Catney Pat Address in Lagan Valley SDLP (Social Democratic JOHN PATRICK DRAKE, MARZENA & Labour Party) AGNIESZKA CZARNECKA, CONOR EOGHAN McNEILL, MARY THERESA McKEEVER, MARY THERESA LOWRY, ROSEMARY ANNE ORR, ANNE MONICA MAGENNIS, BRIDGET MARY MARSDEN, HENRY McGURNAGHAN, MICHAEL FINBAR RICKARD Craig Jonathan Address in Lagan Valley Democratic Unionist Party WILLIAM ALBERT LEATHEM, - D.U.P. JEFFREY MARK DONALDSON, JOHN ANDREW NELSON, MARGARET HENRIETTA TOLERTON, HAROLD TWYNAM McKIBBEN, DAVID JOSEPH CRAIG, SAMUEL PAUL PORTER, JAMES TATE MILLAR, WILLIAM JOHN THOMPSON, JAMES GRAHAM MARTIN Givan Paul Address in Lagan Valley Democratic Unionist Party JEFFREY MARK DONALDSON, - D.U.P. JOHN ANDREW NELSON, MARGARET HENRIETTA TOLERTON, WILLIAM ALBERT LEATHEM, ROBERT JAMES YOUNG, EDWIN CECIL POOTS, ALAN JOSEPH GIVAN, JACQUELINE PATRICIA EVANS, SAMUEL PAUL PORTER, HELEN ROBERTA JEAN K REDDICK Hale Brenda Address in Lagan Valley Democratic Unionist Party JEFFREY MARK DONALDSON, - D.U.P. EDWIN CECIL POOTS, JOHN ANDREW NELSON, PAUL JONATHAN GIVAN, DAVID JONATHAN CRAIG, PAUL STEWART, ALLAN GEORGE EWART, JONATHAN SCOTT CARSON, ELIZABETH VIRTUE GREEN, WILLIAM ALBERT LEATHEM Hill Mark 8 Chestnut Hall Court, Ulster Unionist Party IAN VINCENT, JAMES BAIRD, Maghaberry,
    [Show full text]
  • Members' Office Costs Allowance 2003-2004
    Members' Office Costs Allowance 2003-2004 Campbell, Gregory Account Name Date Amount Expenditure Description Supplier Name Members Equipment Maintenance 08-Jul-03 £49.65 Equipment Maintenance CHUBB NI LTD Members Office - Rent 09-Apr-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 09-Apr-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC. DUP Members Office - Rent 07-May-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 07-May-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC. DUP Members Office - Rent 05-Jun-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 05-Jun-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC. DUP Members Office - Rent 02-Jul-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 02-Jul-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC. DUP Members Office - Rent 05-Aug-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 05-Aug-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC. DUP Members Office - Rent 04-Sep-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 04-Sep-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC. DUP Members Office - Rent 01-Oct-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 01-Oct-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC. DUP Members Office - Rent 01-Nov-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 01-Nov-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC. DUP Members Office - Rent 01-Dec-03 £1,050.00 Rent NORTH WEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Members Office - Rent 01-Dec-03 £50.00 Rent EAST L'DERRY ASSOC.
    [Show full text]
  • Critical Engagement: Irish Republicanism, Memory Politics
    Critical Engagement Critical Engagement Irish republicanism, memory politics and policing Kevin Hearty LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY PRESS First published 2017 by Liverpool University Press 4 Cambridge Street Liverpool L69 7ZU Copyright © 2017 Kevin Hearty The right of Kevin Hearty to be identified as the author of this book has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication data A British Library CIP record is available print ISBN 978-1-78694-047-6 epdf ISBN 978-1-78694-828-1 Typeset by Carnegie Book Production, Lancaster Contents Acknowledgements vii List of Figures and Tables x List of Abbreviations xi Introduction 1 1 Understanding a Fraught Historical Relationship 25 2 Irish Republican Memory as Counter-Memory 55 3 Ideology and Policing 87 4 The Patriot Dead 121 5 Transition, ‘Never Again’ and ‘Moving On’ 149 6 The PSNI and ‘Community Policing’ 183 7 The PSNI and ‘Political Policing’ 217 Conclusion 249 References 263 Index 303 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements This book has evolved from my PhD thesis that was undertaken at the Transitional Justice Institute, University of Ulster (TJI). When I moved to the University of Warwick in early 2015 as a post-doc, my plans to develop the book came with me too. It represents the culmination of approximately five years of research, reading and (re)writing, during which I often found the mere thought of re-reading some of my work again nauseating; yet, with the encour- agement of many others, I persevered.
    [Show full text]
  • Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
    Tuesday Volume 507 16 March 2010 No. 58 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 16 March 2010 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2010 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 707 16 MARCH 2010 708 feel that, as the Government have a stake in a number of House of Commons such institutions, perhaps they should have taken a lot more action to curtail the amount that bankers are still Tuesday 16 March 2010 being paid. Ian Pearson: The whole House will have had The House met at half-past Two o’clock representations from constituents on the issue of bankers’ bonuses. My hon. Friend will be aware that UKFI PRAYERS manages the Government’s interests in RBS, Lloyds Banking Group, Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley on an arm’s length basis. It is not in the interests of [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] shareholders, including the taxpayer, for banks to lose key profit-making staff, but we have to ensure an appropriate balance. As she will be aware, RBS made a commitment to pay the minimum possible, to protect the banking Oral Answers to Questions franchise, and it is in investment banking where that issue is most apparent. On behalf of the Government, UKFI took independent analysis and looked at sector TREASURY averages in coming to its conclusions, and it was entirely appropriate that it showed that due diligence.
    [Show full text]
  • <Election Title>
    Electoral Office for Northern Ireland Election of Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the LAGAN VALLEY Constituency STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED and NOTICE OF POLL The following persons have been and stand validly nominated: SURNAME OTHER NAMES ADDRESS DESCRIPTION(if any) SUBSCRIBERS Catney Pat Address in Lagan Valley SDLP (Social Democratic JOHN PATRICK DRAKE, MARZENA & Labour Party) AGNIESZKA CZARNECKA, CONOR EOGHAN McNEILL, MARY THERESA McKEEVER, MARY THERESA LOWRY, ROSEMARY ANNE ORR, ANNE MONICA MAGENNIS, BRIDGET MARY MARSDEN, HENRY McGURNAGHAN, MICHAEL FINBAR RICKARD Craig Jonathan Address in Lagan Valley Democratic Unionist Party WILLIAM ALBERT LEATHEM, - D.U.P. JEFFREY MARK DONALDSON, JOHN ANDREW NELSON, MARGARET HENRIETTA TOLERTON, HAROLD TWYNAM McKIBBEN, DAVID JOSEPH CRAIG, SAMUEL PAUL PORTER, JAMES TATE MILLAR, WILLIAM JOHN THOMPSON, JAMES GRAHAM MARTIN Givan Paul Address in Lagan Valley Democratic Unionist Party JEFFREY MARK DONALDSON, - D.U.P. JOHN ANDREW NELSON, MARGARET HENRIETTA TOLERTON, WILLIAM ALBERT LEATHEM, ROBERT JAMES YOUNG, EDWIN CECIL POOTS, ALAN JOSEPH GIVAN, JACQUELINE PATRICIA EVANS, SAMUEL PAUL PORTER, HELEN ROBERTA JEAN K REDDICK Hale Brenda Address in Lagan Valley Democratic Unionist Party JEFFREY MARK DONALDSON, - D.U.P. EDWIN CECIL POOTS, JOHN ANDREW NELSON, PAUL JONATHAN GIVAN, DAVID JONATHAN CRAIG, PAUL STEWART, ALLAN GEORGE EWART, JONATHAN SCOTT CARSON, ELIZABETH VIRTUE GREEN, WILLIAM ALBERT LEATHEM Hill Mark 8 Chestnut Hall Court, Ulster Unionist Party IAN VINCENT, JAMES BAIRD, Maghaberry,
    [Show full text]
  • “A Peace of Sorts”: a Cultural History of the Belfast Agreement, 1998 to 2007 Eamonn Mcnamara
    “A Peace of Sorts”: A Cultural History of the Belfast Agreement, 1998 to 2007 Eamonn McNamara A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy, Australian National University, March 2017 Declaration ii Acknowledgements I would first like to thank Professor Nicholas Brown who agreed to supervise me back in October 2014. Your generosity, insight, patience and hard work have made this thesis what it is. I would also like to thank Dr Ben Mercer, your helpful and perceptive insights not only contributed enormously to my thesis, but helped fund my research by hiring and mentoring me as a tutor. Thank you to Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Malcolm whose knowledge and experience thoroughly enhanced this thesis. I could not have asked for a better panel. I would also like to thank the academic and administrative staff of the ANU’s School of History for their encouragement and support, in Monday afternoon tea, seminars throughout my candidature and especially useful feedback during my Thesis Proposal and Pre-Submission Presentations. I would like to thank the McClay Library at Queen’s University Belfast for allowing me access to their collections and the generous staff of the Linen Hall Library, Belfast City Library and Belfast’s Newspaper Library for all their help. Also thanks to my local libraries, the NLA and the ANU’s Chifley and Menzies libraries. A big thank you to Niamh Baker of the BBC Archives in Belfast for allowing me access to the collection. I would also like to acknowledge Bertie Ahern, Seán Neeson and John Lindsay for their insightful interviews and conversations that added a personal dimension to this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • OVERSEAS TRAVEL by MINISTERS 1 April 2007 – 31 March 2008
    OVERSEAS TRAVEL BY MINISTERS 1 April 2007 – 31 March 2008 CABINET OFFICE JULY 2008 OVERSEAS TRAVEL BY MINISTERS 2007 – 2008 INDEX Page Attorney General’s Office 1 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 2 Cabinet Office 7 Minister for the Olympics and London 8 Chief Whip (Commons) 9 Chief Whip (Lords) 10 Department for Children, Schools and Families 11 Department for Communities and Local Government 13 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 14 Ministry of Defence 16 Deputy Prime Minister’s Office 19 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 20 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 24 Department of Health 33 Home Office 34 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills 37 Department for International Development 38 Ministry of Justice 42 Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons 44 Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords 45 Northern Ireland Office 46 Prime Minister’s Office 47 Scotland Office 49 Department for Transport 50 HM Treasury 52 Wales Office 54 Department for Work and Pensions 55 OVERSEAS TRAVEL BY MINISTERS 2007 – 2008 ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFFICE Dates Minister Destination Purpose of Trip Scheduled, ‘No No. of Officials Total cost 32 (The Royal) Accompanying including travel Squadron’, or Minister, where & ‘Other RAF’ or non scheduled accommodation ‘Charter’ travel used Attorney General 18 - 19 April Rt Hon Lord Luxembourg Justice and Home Affairs Council Scheduled £676 2007 Goldsmith QC 25 May Rt Hon Lord Munich, Meetings with G8 Justice and Interior Ministers Other RAF
    [Show full text]
  • February 2004
    Nations and Regions: The Dynamics of Devolution Quarterly Monitoring Programme Northern Ireland Quarterly Report February 2004 The monitoring programme is jointly funded by the ESRC and the Leverhulme Trust Devolution Monitoring Programme Northern Ireland report 18 February 2004 • Assembly election ends in triumph for DUP, SF • Result means continued suspension of devolution • Review of Belfast agreement opens amid low expectations • Ministers continue business-as-usual decision-making 2 Contents 1. Summary Robin Wilson ..............................................4 2. The ‘peace process’ Rick Wilford & Robin Wilson ..................5 2.1 The post-election scene ......................................................................................5 2.2 The review...........................................................................................................5 2.3 Prospects ...........................................................................................................13 3. Devolved government Robin Wilson ............................................16 3.1 Does it matter? .................................................................................................16 3.2 Programme for Government ..........................................................................16 3.3 Community relations .......................................................................................17 4. The assembly Rick Wilford & Robin Wilson ................20 5. The media Robin Wilson ............................................21
    [Show full text]
  • Peace in Northern Ireland Miracle (Almost) Achieved? CONTRIBUTORS
    British Politics Review Journal of the British Politics Society, Norway Volume 11 | No. 2 | Spring 2016 Peace in Northern Ireland Miracle (almost) achieved? CONTRIBUTORS Sophie Whiting • Peter McLoughlin • Fearghal McGarry • Arthur Aughey Eamonn O’Kane • Anne-Marie Forker • Kate Fearon • Jan Erik Mustad British Politics Review Editorial Volume 11 | No. 2 | Spring 2016 ISSN 1890-4505 “The War is over” is a phrase which has sometimes been used to describe the state of British Politics Review Northern Ireland, 10 years after St Andrews Northernof a new eraIreland in Northern after the BelfastIreland. (“Good With mostFriday”) political Agreement groups of now 1998 committed – the famous to With contributionsis a quarterly breakthrough in the so-called “peace process” which seemed to spell the beginnings journalfrom academic issued byand the journalistic British Politics sour Society, BritishNorway. Politics Review is aimed pursuing their political objectives by peaceful means only, it was finally possible to - set up institutions of self-government for Northern Ireland, based on that principle ces,political the developments in Britain. of “power sharing” which had first been put forward during the most intense phase at everyone with a general interest in of the “Troubles” in 1973. British Politics Society, Norway Yet the immediate years after1998 were difficult ones, marked by problems related lective agenda apart from raising the to the “decommissioning” of paramilitary arms, and repeated suspensions of the is politically neutral and has no col- devolved institutions. Following an incident known as “Stormontgate” in 2002 (which politics among the informed Norwe involved the discovery of an alleged IRA spy ring inside Stormont), direct rule from interestgian public.
    [Show full text]
  • What's in a Name?
    EDITORIAL Vol.3 No.8 August 2007 www.nature.com/naturephysics What’s in a name? Britain has a new leader, and with him a new science minister in a new department: would you guess that the ‘Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills’ now holds the remit for science? On 28 June, Gordon Brown replaced development assistance’. Frustratingly, Tony Blair as UK Prime Minister. In the all budgetary increases in the game are days that followed, a wholesale reshuffle capped at 100% — but then that would of the Cabinet was announced, as be too much to expect, even in the most Prime Minister Brown set his mark on a optimistic of times. new ‘New Labour’ government. Change At the top of the list detailing the role3 is in the air across the administration, as of the new DIUS is “sustain and develop a Blairism makes way for Brownism. world-class research base”. That, of course, Change has also been decreed in the requires investment, and it is to be hoped governmental handling of science research. that the outcome of the Comprehensive Ian Pearson is the new Science Minister, Spending Review will set the UK on that under Secretary of State John Denham, course. At the bottom of the list is “increase who heads the newly created Department the supply of people in science, technology, of Innovation, Universities and Skills engineering and mathematics”. And there (DIUS). The DIUS comprises chunks of the declining profile of science in the UK what was the Department of Education hits home. and what was the Department of Trade A growing number of pupils in and Industry (DTI).
    [Show full text]
  • OFFICIAL REPORT (Hansard)
    OFFICIAL REPORT (Hansard) Vol u m e 2 (15 February 1999 to 15 July 1999) BELFAST: THE STATIONERY OFFICE LTD £70.00 © Copyright The New Northern Ireland Assembly. Produced and published in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Northern Ireland Assembly by the The Stationery Office Ltd, which is responsible for printing and publishing Northern Ireland Assembly publications. ISBN 0 339 80001 1 ASSEMBLY MEMBERS (A = Alliance Party; NIUP = Northern Ireland Unionist Party; NIWC = Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition; PUP = Progressive Unionist Party; SDLP = Social Democratic and Labour Party; SF = Sinn Fein; DUP = Ulster Democratic Unionist Party; UKUP = United Kingdom Unionist Party; UUP = Ulster Unionist Party; UUAP = United Unionist Assembly Party) Adams, Gerry (SF) (West Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (UUP) (Newry and Armagh) Adamson, Ian (UUP) (East Belfast) Leslie, James (UUP) (North Antrim) Agnew, Fraser (UUAP) (North Belfast) Lewsley, Patricia (SDLP) (Lagan Valley) Alderdice of Knock, The Lord (Initial Presiding Officer) Maginness, Alban (SDLP) (North Belfast) Armitage, Pauline (UUP) (East Londonderry) Mallon, Seamus (SDLP) (Newry and Armagh) Armstrong, Billy (UUP) (Mid Ulster) Maskey, Alex (SF) (West Belfast) Attwood, Alex (SDLP) (West Belfast) McCarthy, Kieran (A) (Strangford) Beggs, Roy (UUP) (East Antrim) McCartney, Robert (UKUP) (North Down) Bell, Billy (UUP) (Lagan Valley) McClarty, David (UUP) (East Londonderry) Bell, Eileen (A) (North Down) McCrea, Rev William (DUP) (Mid Ulster) Benson, Tom (UUP) (Strangford) McClelland, Donovan (SDLP) (South
    [Show full text]
  • Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections and Periods of Suspension) Bill Had Its First Reading on 8 May 2003, and Its Remaining Stages Are Scheduled for 12 May 2003
    RESEARCH PAPER 03/43 The Northern Ireland 9MAY 2003 Assembly (Elections and Periods of Suspension) Bill Bill 104 of 2002-03 The Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections and Periods of Suspension) Bill had its First Reading on 8 May 2003, and its remaining stages are scheduled for 12 May 2003. Elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly were due to take place on 29 May 2003, having been put back from 1 May 2003 by the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections Act 2003 in March 2003. This was discussed in Research Paper 03/21, The Northern Ireland Assembly Elections Bill, 13 March 2003. On 1 May 2003 the British Government announced that it would postpone the elections until the autumn. The British and Irish Governments had been preparing to publish a Joint Declaration on moves towards full implementation of the Belfast Agreement, but they were not satisfied with the undertakings the IRA was prepared to give on meeting its obligations under the Agreement. The British Government argued that the outstanding issues over the IRA position could not be resolved during an election campaign, and so decided on a further postponement. The Irish Government did not support it on this point. This paper gives an account of the main features of the Bill, the British Government’s rationale for postponement, the main reactions to it, and some background. Paul Bowers, Vaughne Miller, Chris Sear PARLIAMENT AND CONSTITUTION CENTRE HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY RESEARCH PAPER 03/43 Recent Library Research Papers include: 03/28 Ballistic Missile Defence 26.03.03 03/29 The Sustainable
    [Show full text]